Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1887-12-30
DOES 1T MEAN FREE TkADE?"

l OOE<O MLhN IhEL IIhOEg
Many Of our Democratic breth-
| rem have eonsoled themselves with
the thought that the Presidents
message does not mean "free
rrade." But those who have been
beguiled into the belief that it is
any thing but "Free Trade" doc
ument in disguise should careful
ly read the following from the
Globe Democrat OF Dec. 26.
The Administration. method of
preventing the accumulation of a
surplus is this: Leave the internal
taxes as at present and cut down
the revenues by abolishing or re-
ducIng customs duties. This is
the plan advocated by the Presi-
dent and the Secretary OF the
Treasury. The surplus, accord
ing to the Secretary's estimate,
will be sl13,OO0,0O0 in the year
ending with June Both next. Rev.
enue reduction Legislation, even
If passed by the close of February
would hardly be made to go INTO
operation before the end of June.
Therefore the new laws on this
question will scarcely take effect
before the beginning of the next
fiscal year. In that year the sar-
plus will probably be as great as
it is this year. That is to say the
revenue Legislation enacted in the
present session of the Fiftieth
Congress, IL the Administrations
policy should be carried out, must
be framed so as to cut down Gus
toms duties to the extent OF Sl13,-
100000.
The revenue from raw materi-
ais" Of manufacture in 1887
amounted to little less than s14,-
100000. The principal items il
this list are wool, iron, lead, cop
per and zinc ores, lumber, salt,
coal, hemp, manila, jute, marble,
sisalgrass end hops. The Admin
istration's proposition is to begin
It's tariff iessening scheme by pat.
ting these materials in the free
list, and 70 effect nearly all the re.
mainder Of the reduction by cut.
ting down duties on the nanufac-
tured commodities. About $780,.
! 100000, Therefore, it is designed
shall be takeL of the II. . is OF
manufactures. In 1886 tie reve.
nre from imported manufactu- ed
goods reached about $4,000, 900
| This included the receipts from
imports OF all the goods made on;
of wool, cotton, silk, iron, steel
jute, hemp and chemicals.
| The placing of raw materials on
the free list would have TO be sup.
plemented by a pretty vigorous
reductions of duties OF manufact-
ured goods, as will be revealed
by the foregoing figures, before 6
reduction of s110,000,000 in Gus
toms can be made. The entire re-
mission of duty ON raw materials
and manufactures, would, on the
basis Of 1887, lessen the revenues
s104, ,000, 900 only, which is g, ,000,.
| 900 short of the reduction design.
ed to be made. The aggregate rev.
enue from customs in 1887 was
s214,OO0,OO0.
Unless the free list should be
extended to other raw materials
than TO those which enter into
manufactures, the duties on man
ufsctured goods would have to be
brought down to the revenue point
But even il the sinking fund pay
ments are to be deducted from
the S1I3.G00,0G0 and the 8ctual
surplus be put at s5G, 900, ,000
about SO, 100000, according to tie
Administrators plan, would still
have 10 come from reduction oi
the imposts on manufactures. OF
course, e moderate reduction OF
cuties would increase the volume
of imports, and, perhaps, even eI-
lpand the revenues. The yedEc-
itiCn, therefore, would have to be
great enough TO practically elimi-
nate all the protection there is In
the tariff. That Is to say, the Ad-
ministration's method of cutting
down the revenues virtually means
free trade.